Spike



(No Model.)

, H. T.V RUSSELL.

- SPIKE. v N0. 278,604. Patented Mfny 29, 1883.

i jagd?.

l I' Ifllzd #E Q Q y UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.N

HENRY T. RUSSELL, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPIKE..l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,604,.dated May V:29, 1883. Application flied February 23,71sa3. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, HENRY '.l. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi` cago, Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Itailroad-Spikes,of which the following is aspecification.

- Myinventiou relates to certain new and useful improvements in railroad-spikes. It has for its object economy of material used coupled with increased strength and great facility of entry linto wood; and, with these objects in view, my inventionconsists of a railroad-spike having a suitablehead and square shank for asuitable distance-below the head, and with the remainder of the lshank having its fourv corners grooved out, leaving a straight vertical rib, and terminating in a chisel'point, as

`will be hereinafter fully set fort-b, and specili cally claimed.

In order that, those skilled may fully understand my invention, I will .proceed to describe the construction land advantages of my improved spike, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aplan view of a spike embody- Y i Aing my invention; Fig. 2, a similar view at rightangles tothat shown at Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a crosssection,'taken at the line at' x of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, a plan view of a rod, showing the method of forming the spikes continuously from a square rod or blank.

Similar lettersdenote like parts in the sev-` eral figures.

A represents the head of the spike,which may be of any form, but preferably that shown. The shank below the head for a suitable dis tance is square, as shown at B, to give full strength at that `point` usually subjected to the greatest strain; and from the squared portionA B' down to the point the four corners are concaved, as seen at C, leaving the i'our vertical ribs, D, the two side ones of which extend to the eXtreme point, while the front and rear ones terminate inthe bevels E,which produce a chisel-point, as clearly seen at Figs. l and 2. The corners being concaved leaves `the body in-cross-section of the geometrical form shown in Fig. 3. The upper ends of the concave C decrease in depth and vanish into the sharp or angular corners of the square portion B` of theshank to avoid a too sudden `or abrupt enlargement.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the contact-surface of the spike is much larger than it would bein an ordinary square-shanked spike, that the holding capacity is proportionately increased, and that the ribs D, being at right angles to each other and in the same planesv with the sides ofthe square portion B, serve to render the entrance of the spike easy and at the same time secure it, in its entering movement against any twisting or deection, so that being started properly-with referenoe to the desired location of the `square portionB,said portion willbe suitably guided and delivered in an obvious manner.

In the manufacture of my improved spikes they may be formed from a continuous rod between rotary dies or rollers, so constructed as to produce the points, ribs, concaves, and a `square portion,"which latter, being longer than the portions B'iu a finished spike, may be read ily upset to form the head, as illustrated at Fig. 3, all of which will be readily understood by those familiar with the art oft'orming articles ofiron from a continuous rod.

I am aware that it has been suggested to make spikes of various formsin cross-section, 1 and that spikes have been made square in cross-section, with vertical grooves formed in the flat sides ot' thespike, and do not wish to claim, broadly, theidea of grooving a spike longitudinally; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A spike provided with a suitable head, and

short square portion below the same, and having the four corners below said square portion conoaved, with intermediate vertical ribs on opposite sides, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. The ribs D on the sides of the spike continued to the extreme point, while the ribs on the front and back portions terminate in the bevels E, whereby a chisel-point is formed, substantially as shown and described.

I n witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

HENRY T. RUSSELL.` Witnesses: ANDREW M. RCRKE,

MICHAEL ANDREW RORKE. 

